Stop motion device



Sept. 22, 1964 p, '5. WEST ETAL 3,149,379

' STOP MOTION DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1962 United States Patent 3,149,379 STOP MOTION DEVICE Paul B. West, Clemson, and Russell A. Graham, Greenville, S.C., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Maremont Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 166,509 3 Claims. (Cl. 19-.23)

This invention relates to a control mechanism for textile machinery and more particularly to a stop motion device for draw frames and the like that operate to draft a cotton sliver or analogous material.

In general, the invention comprises a stop motiondevice having a pivotally mounted actuating member positioned intermediate the front rolls and calender rolls of a draw frame. Positioned on the actuating member is a pivotally mounted sliver trough leading from the drafting rolls to a trumpet and then to the calender rolls. A sliver forming means or trumpet is positioned at the mouth of the trough adjacent the front rolls. Switch means, adapted to stop the machinery when the actuating member is moved from its operating position, are located against the actuating member. The center of gravity of the stop motion as a whole is located to the side of the actuating members pivot nearest the drafting rolls such that the force of gravity maintains the device in its normal operating position. In operation the operating position of the stop motion is maintained until abnormal pressure of the material being processed occurs at the mouth of the sliver trumped due to abnormal thickness of the web or to a stoppage of the sliver at the trumpet. The abnormal pressure of the sliver then causes the actuating member to move away from the drafting rolls and actuates the switch, thus shutting off the machinery.

Further features, objects, and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description thereof in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation in section of a drawing frame embodying the invention in its operating position and, in dotted lines, an alternate maintenance position of the sliver trough; and

FIG. 3 is a view of FIG. 2 wherein the invention is shown in its stop position.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 2 shows the invention positioned within a standard drawing frame. Only that portion of the drawing frame is shown from the front rolls 28 and 29 to the coiler head 34 since the remainder of the machine is standard and well known to those skilled in the art.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the invention comprises an actuating member mounted on a pivot 11, intermediate the front rolls 28, 29, and the calender rolls 32, 33. The actuating member 10 has a lower element 12, which is in a substantially vertical attitude in the operating position of the actuating member 10, and an upper element 14, which is in a substantially horizontal attitude in said operating position. The upper element 14 extends from the upper portion of the lower element 12 generally toward the front rolls 23, 29 and terminates just short thereof.

Stop means 15 are provided to define the extent to which the actuating member 10 may rotate about its pivot toward the front rolls 28, 29. Switch means 18 such as any standard micro-switch, are provided, effective to stop the drawing frame machinery as the actuating member 10 rotates about its pivot 11 toward the calender rolls 32, 33. Optionally, spring means 26, here shown as a fiat spring operating on a flattened portion of the lower element at its lower end adjacent the pivot 11, are provided to ice assist in retaining the actuating member 10 in its operating position.

Fixedly attached to the upper element 14 of the actuating member 10, at the portion thereof nearest the front rolls 28, 29 is a sliver forming means or trumpet 20, mounted so that its orifices have a substantially horizontal axis, and so that the smaller orifice 21 is directed away from the front rolls.

Mounted on a second pivot 17, positioned on the upper element 14 of the actuating member 10, is a sliver guide trough 16, extending from the smaller orifice 21 of the trumpet 20 to the larger orifice of a second trumpet 31. The major portion of the trough 16 is offset from the second pivot 17 toward the second trumpet 31 and stop means, here shown as the external portion of the smaller orifice 21 of the trumpet 20, are provided to maintain the trough 16 in a substantially horizontal operating position. As is shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 2, the trough 16 is rotatable about its pivot 17 to the extent of at least If a portion of the trough 16 extends from the second pivot 17 to the trumpet 20 for a substantial distance, as is shown in the drawings, slot means 24 are provided in the horizontal element 14 of the actuating member 16 to permit the trough 16 to rotate to the extent desired.

In operation, FIG. 2, a web 8 is delivered from the front rolls 28, 29 through the trumpet 20, there being condensed to a sliver, along the trough 16 to the second trumpet 31, the calender rolls 32, 33, and thence to a coiler head 34. In its normal operating position, the lower element 12 of the actuating member 10 is in a substantially vertical position and in the preferred embodiment of the invention rests upon the switch 18. The trough 16 is substantially horizontal. The mechanism remains in this position so long as there is no abnormal pressure on the web or sliver at the trumpet 20.

If, however, the web or sliver is subject to abnormal pressure at the trumpet 20, for any reason, the actuating member 10 is pushed toward the coiler head 34, as is shown in FIG. 3, thus actuating the switch 18 which operates to shut off the machine. As the actuating member 10 falls forward, the trough 16 strikes the second trumpet 31 thus causing it to rotate about its pivot 17. Thus, due to the double pivots 11, 17, the actuating member 10 and the trough 16 are permitted to fall completely away from the front rolls 28 and 29. This action completely exposes the trouble spot and facilitates the maintenance and repair of the machinery.

It will be understood that many modifications of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims thereof.

It will be further understood that the example given is in no way intended to limit the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A sliver stop motion comprising:

an actuating member having substantially vertical and substantially horizontal elements, said vertical element being pivotally mounted at its lower portion and having a substantially vertical operating position, and said horizontal element extending at a substantially right angle from said vertical element;

sliver forming means having orifices mounted on said horizontal element and having a substantially hori zontal axis through its orifices;

a sliver trough pivotally mounted on said horizontal element, in a substantially horizontal position extending from said forming means;

and switch means adapted to be actuated by said actuating member as said member is pivoted away from its operating position.

2. A sliver stop motion, intermediate the front rolls and calender rolls of sliver processing machinery, comprising:

an actuating member having substantially vertical and substantially horizontal elements, said vertical element being pivotally mounted at its lower portion and having a substantially vertical operating posi: tion, and said horizontal element extending at a substantially right angle from said vertical element toward said front rolls;

stop means effective to define the extent to which said actuating member may be rotated toward said front rolls;

sliver forming means mounted on said horizontal element in a substantially horizontal position adjacent said front rolls;

a sliver trough pivotally mounted on said horizontal element, extending from said forming means toward said calender rolls, the major portion thereof being positioned away from its pivot toward said calender rolls;

said trough being maintained in a substantially horizontal operating position by contact with said sliver forming means,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 128,999 Brooks et a1 July 16, 1872 563,343 Welty July 7, 1896 2,811,753 Whitehurst Nov. 5, 1957 2,944,302 Nest July 12, 1960 3,075,251 Nagel Jan. 29, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,039,023 France May 13, 1953 Great Britain of 1859 1,749 Great Britain of 1857 

1. A SLIVER MOTION COMPRISING: AN ACTUATING MEMBER HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AND SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL ELEMENTS, SAID VERTICAL ELEMENT BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ITS LOWER PORTION AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL OPERATING POSITION, AND SAID HORIZONTAL ELEMENT EXTENDING AT A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLE FROM SAID VERTICAL ELEMENT; SLIVER FORMING MEANS HAVING ORIFICES MOUNTED ON SAID HORIZONTAL ELEMENT AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS THROUGH ITS ORIFICES; A SLIVER TROUGH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID HORIZONTAL ELEMENT, IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION EXTENDING FROM SAID FORMING MEANS; AND SWITCH MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ACTUATED BY SAID ACTUATING MEMBER AS SAID MEMBER IS PIVOTED AWAY FROM ITS OPERATING POSITION. 